Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Jason Says Vote, Everywhere Else!


Jason's Bottom Line:

When it comes to the 2014 midterms, we can't have a single person sit on the side lines. Our generation cannot afford another 2 years of Republican failure. From the top (Senators and Governors) to the bottom (State Representatives, State Senators, Mayors, and Local Officials), we need to turn out and elect common-sense Democrats to move our country forward. As I didn't have time to detail every race - I wanted to give you a few resources in case you haven't made up your mind yet (or are considering voting for a Republican). 

How to Vote
Are you registered?

  • www.canivote.org is a nice service that will connect you to your state's voter registration service. It can be a little slow - so be patient.
  • www.longdistrancevoter.org is another service that will let you check your registration status if the first site is taking too long, but this one requires an email address. You can also access this service by typing "How to vote" in the Google.
Do you need an ID?

When do polls close?

  • www.huffingtonpost.com did a good rundown of poll closing times. Of note - all times are Eastern and the *'s mean that the state spans more than one time-zone.  
  • www.usatoday.com did a graphic representation of the closing times - if that's your thing. 
Where is your polling place/ballot return?

What to do if you have trouble voting? (i.e. harassment, say you aren't registered, or you are in line when the polls close?)

  • Harassment or other voting problems: Call the Voter Protection Hotline at 1-844-360-VOTE (8683) - they are there to help ensure that your vote is counted.
  • The poll worker says that you aren't registered or that you already voted (but you haven't): fill out a provisional ballot (federally required after the 2000 Presidential election - remember "hanging chads?"). You will need to follow-up and prove that you are registered to vote - the deadline for doing so is typically 3-7 days after the election. If you are forced to use a provisional ballot - contact the Voter Protection Hotline for more information.
  • In line when the polls close: STAY IN LINE! Wait, maybe you didn't get that....STAY IN LINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You are guaranteed the right to vote if you are in line prior to the poll closing time. If you leave the line, for any reason, you will not be able to vote. So, if you see a long line, pee before you get into it!
Who to Vote For
When in doubt, follow President Truman's advice, "If you want to live like a Republican, vote Democratic." 

Find out where to find more candidate information below the fold...


www.campuselect.org
This might be my very favorite resource. It's only going to help you on the big marquee races (Governor and Senate), but it's a great place to see side-by-side comparisons of the big issues. They don't delve into much detail on policy positions, but they do provide links to do some more research. Here are direct links to a few important ones. 


Important Governor AND Senate: 
Alaska: Gov & SenArkansas: Gov & SenColorado: Gov & SenGeorgiaGov Sen; KansasGov Sen; MichiganGov Sen; and New MexicoGov Sen

Important Senate: 

Important Governor



www.theskimm.com
The Skimm is a great daily email newsletter that details major happenings in the world. They've taken up the elections this year and have provided some good quick bites of information (that's their shtick). 

www.votesmart.org
A great resource to find detailed policy positions for all of the major candidates. From Abortion to Worker's rights, this is a good source to find statements, votes, and endorsements. The site can be a little slow (especially when there is high volume), but it's worth the wait. 


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